"I'm gonna make an appointment with my curiosity." - Frank SesnoEmmy award-winning journalist Frank Sesno shares how curiosity and strategic questioning shaped his four-decade career covering presidents and world leaders as CNN's Washington Bureau Chief and White House correspondent. From a fourth-grade question about astronauts to interviewing five U.S. presidents, Frank reveals the power of deliberate curiosity and active listening.Frank breaks down his approach to preparing for high-stakes interviews, explaining how he blocks conversations into thematic acts while remaining flexible. He introduces the "echo question" technique, which is simply repeating a person's emotionally charged word back to them, that transforms surface answers into more profound truths. Frank emphasizes that the best questioners are the best listeners, focusing on what people say and what they don't say.In "Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change," Frank discusses why bridge-building questions are critical in our polarized moment. He explores how AI makes human curiosity more valuable and shares his practice of "making an appointment with curiosity" to create time to deliberately formulate meaningful questions.This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.Keep questioning!Episode Notes00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:04 Meet Frank Sesno: A Legendary Journalist03:05 Early Encounters with the Power of Questions05:01 Curiosity Encouraged: School Days05:54 The Art of Interviewing: Following Curiosity08:37 Touchstone Moments in Journalism09:35 Holding Power to Account10:42 The Journey to Asking Tough Questions12:48 Understanding Human Stories18:25 Complexity of Human Experience22:38 Listening: The Key to Great Questions24:37 Echo Questions: A Powerful Technique27:29 Preparing for Interviews: A Structured Approach29:40 Structuring Interview Questions30:27 The Importance of Flexibility in Interviews31:16 The Power of Walking and Reflecting32:01 Lessons from the Galapagos34:13 Traveling with Curiosity36:38 Fostering Curiosity in Students40:46 Question Categories That Are Needed Today47:04 The Role of AI in Questioning50:39 The Human Touch in Questioning52:21 Building Rapport with Interviewees53:26 The Right Now Question53:54 Finding Hope in Challenging Times57:26 Connecting with Frank Sesno58:51 Summary and TakeawaysResources MentionedAsk More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change by Frank SesnoThe Sesno SeriesGeorge Washington UniversitySenator Mark WarnerGeorge Washington University School of Media and Public AffairsWashington PostShohei OtaniYoshinobu YamamotoLos Angeles DodgersNancy KanwisherCal FussmanPlant ForwardStoryfest CompetitionGalapagos IslandsLindblad Expeditions1882 Morgan Silver DollarNancy PelosiFrank Sesno on LinkedInFrank Sesno websiteProducer Ben FordBeauty Pill